Legislation to improve how we manage our water takes another step forward

Date published: 16 September 2025

The Bill will improve processes for NI Water and allow for new ways to manage water. It will strengthen resilience during extreme weather events such as drought and help facilitate more environmentally friendly solutions to managing water.

Minister Kimmins said: 

“I welcome the debate on this Bill which is an important step forward as it continues its journey through the Assembly. This legislation will help us to meet the challenges in how we manage and use our water resources, future-proof the system, and get on a path to integrate natural drainage systems more into our stormwater infrastructure.

“Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), with a strong emphasis on nature-based SuDS, is not just about better drainage, it’s about building climate-resilient, healthy, attractive and sustainable communities in the North. It’s a practical forward-looking investment in places and the environment and forms an integral part of my three-pronged approach which is already beginning to deliver encouraging results. Following June Monitoring I allocated £11million to NI Water to unlock 3,000 houses in the Derry area. Since my predecessor John O’Dowd and I came into office we have provided ringfenced allocations to enable the unlocking of wastewater capacity for over 5,000 properties across the North. This is already above the 4,300 that NI Water had originally planned to connect, if fully funded, by the end of this Price Control Period in 2028, and it is only 2025.

“These are all important steps towards delivering a better water and wastewater infrastructure to meet the needs of our growing population and adapt to changing weather.”